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Activision Set to Launch Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice in 2019

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Activision Blizzard is ready to release Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, a third-person, action-adventure game with RPG elements, globally, in early 2019.

The game has been developed by Tokyo, Japan-based FromSoftware. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, who is known for his work on the Dark Souls franchise.

The single-player game, set in the late 1500s Sengoku Japan, promises new features like “vertical traversal” that is expected to attract players. The game will be released on Microsoft’s (MSFT - Free Report) Xbox One, PlayStation 4 & Playstation 4 Pro, and PC via steam for $59.99.

Expanding Portfolio: Key Catalyst

The new game expands Activision’s portfolio for the upcoming holiday season. The company is primarily riding on Call of Duty and Overwatch, which fueled top-line growth in the last reported quarter. King Digital’s Candy Crush continues to contribute significantly to the company’s revenues.
 

 

Activision has eight $1 billion franchises, including Call of Duty, Destiny 2, StarCraft, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm. The company is now including a battle royale (BR) game mode called “Blackout” in the highly anticipated Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 game that is set to release on Oct 12.

The BR game mode is not only expected to boost Activision’s competitiveness against its traditional rivals but also Fortnite, a free game that has been played by more than 45 million people worldwide.

Notably, Electronic Arts (EA - Free Report) recently announced that it will include a BR mode in its Battlefield V game, which is also expected to release prior to the holiday season. Activision’s another close peer, Take Two Interactive (TTWO - Free Report) is scheduled to release Red Dead Redemption 2 on Oct 26.

Zacks Rank

Currently, Activision has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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